Luis Arraez and the word “slump” don’t usually belong in the same sentence. For years, he’s been one of baseball’s most reliable contact-first hitters, a throwback to an era when batting averages mattered more than launch angles. But lately, some San Diego Padres fans have been left scratching their heads watching the two-time batting champ slap his way through one of the most uncharacteristic stretches of his career.
Arraez is still hitting .283 on the season, a number most players would gladly take — but for a career .316 hitter, the drop-off is jarring. The problem hasn’t been the lack of loud contact.